Germany votes Controversial to end Nuclear Pension changes Power by 2022 are a‘good deal’ Fourth largest industrial nation set to replace nuclear with renewable energy
German MPs have overwhelmingly approved plans to shut down the country's nuclear plants by 2022, putting Europe's biggest economy on the road to an ambitious build-up of renewable energy. The lower house of parliament voted 513-79 for the shutdown plan drawn up by Angela Merkel's government after Japan's post-tsunami nuclear disaster. Most of the opposition voted in favour. MPs sealed the shutdown of eight of the older reactors, which have been off the grid since March. Germany's remaining nine reactors will be shut down in
Röttgen said. The vote completed a spectacular about-turn on nuclear energy by Merkel’s centre-right coalition. Only last year, it had amended a previous centreleft government’s plan to abandon nuclear power by the early 2020s and extended the life span of Germany’s 17 reactors by an average of 12 years. Merkel said the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant had prompted her to re-evaluate the risks of nuclear power. Opposition leaders taunted the government over its
stages by the end of 2022. By 2020, Germany wants to double the share of energy stemming from water, wind, sun or biogas to at least 35%. Until this year, nuclear energy accounted for a little less than a quarter of Germany's power. "Some people abroad ask: will Germany manage this? Can it be done? It is the first time that a major industrial country has declared itself ready to carry through this technological and economic revolution," the environment minister, Norbert Röttgen, told MPs. "The message from today is this: the Germans are getting to work," he said. "This will be good for our country, because we all stand together. So let's get to work." The government hasn’t put a price tag on the plan to shift to renewable sources. “Of course it will cost something, but it won’t overburden anyone,”
U-turn, which Merkel initiated less than two weeks before two state elections in March. “We are approving this out of full conviction, but you are doing it merely to preserve power,” said Sigmar Gabriel, the head of the centre-left Social Democrats. Renate Künast, the co-leader of the Greens’ parliamentary group, said she didn’t care why Merkel had changed course: “For me, it’s enough of a historical irony that you now have to come close to what you fought for decades,” she said. “Now no one can deny that Germany wants an energy turnaround,” added Künast. Her party has always opposed nuclear energy, which has been unpopular in Germany since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster sent radioactivity drifting over the country.
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The Government's controversial plans to reform public sector pensions are a "good deal", the Prime Minister insisted as he told hundreds of thousands of teachers, lecturers and civil servants they are wrong to go on strike. David Cameron said the changes being proposed for millions of public sector workers would secure affordable pensions for decades to come. And Labour leader Ed Miliband has urged unions to continue negotiating with the Government, saying that strikes were a "failure". Writing on his blog, he said: "I understand why teachers are so angry with the Government. But I urge them to think about whether causing disruption in the classroom will help people understand their arguments. "You do not win public backing for an argument about pensions by inconveniencing the public - especially not while negotiations are ongoing." They spoke out as the scale of disruption caused
by a 24-hour walkout at the end of June by members of four unions became clear, with thousands of schools, jobcentres, tax offices and courts were closed or badly disrupted. Driving tests were cancelled and customs checks at ports affected, while picket lines were mounted outside Government departments. Mr Cameron, addressing the annual conference of the Local Government Group in Birmingham, said reform was essential, warning that the pension system was in danger of "going broke" unless action was taken because people were living much longer. "We just can't go on as we are. That's not because, as some people say, public service pensions are ridiculously generous. In fact, around half of public service pensioners receive less than £6,000 a year. "The reason we can't go on as we are is because as the baby boomers retire - and thankfully live longer - the pension system is in danger of going broke."
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Handsworth Grange Community Sports College
PLANS are underway to overhaul a Sheffield secondary school - bringing its teaching facilities bang up to date. Sheffield City Council is leading the way in transforming Handsworth Grange Community Sports College . The plans, which are part of the city’s ambitious Building Schools for the Future programme, include refurbishing existing buildings as well as building a brand new accommodation block. Handsworth Grange Community Sports College is a popular and strongly im-
proving school with a continual focus on school improvement, quality of teaching and learning, care, guidance and support. The redevelopment will include the refurbishment of existing building to provide modern and enhanced teaching facilities. It will also include the construction of a new accommodation block, providing high quality teaching and support spaces. Significant improvements to the external environment, including a new entrance plaza and two new play grounds are also on the cards.
The new Labour Leadership on Sheffield City Council have dropped a key election promise to save £140,000 from ceasing a small grants fund, giving a last minute reprieve to hundreds of small community groups. The small grants fund for this year had already attracted dozens of bids from local community groups. Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, said “Liberal Democrats had been campaigning against Labour’s cut to small grants, therefore I’m pleased that they have dropped the plan. Although the u-turn is surprising as just last week Labour
councillors on my Central Community Assembly voted against a Lib Dem proposal to object to the cut. “We believe that these kind of small funds are essential to allow local communities themselves to make vital improvements to their local areas. Labour’s pre-election promises seem to be unravelling with each passing week.” The move has been so late that some of the Council’s Community Assemblies, local decision making boards made up of local councillors, had already been forced to cut other services and events in order to make up for the expected shortfall.
It's a little known fact that the proliferation of the dreaded speed hump is down to red tape and cost, but that's all about to change, as the Government announced new measures to ease the life of local councils. The result could mean a lot less speed humps on the road, though more 20mph zones. Until recently it
was necessary to get approval from the Department for Transport before erecting speed limit signs on either side of the road. Hence it was easier for councils to build speed bumps, which naturally brought the speed of traffic down. The changes are part of the Traffic Signs Policy Review, which in effect reduces red tape and cost. It also aims to reduce the number of new road signs erected - from a cost and clutter perspective. Councils may now paint the speed limit on the road instead of repeating the upright speed limit signs, though signs at the start and end of the zone are still required.
Labour Backtrack on Small Grants
Goodbye Speed Humps!
Football’s Coming Home
A major piece of funding for Rotherham United's new community stadium is now in place - meaning football can now come home to the town. Rotherham MBC's Cabinet agreed to loan the football club £5 million towards the cost of the £17.3 million stadium. The club itself has been working to raise over £12 million from other sources. The new 12,000 seater stadium planned for the former Guest
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and Chrimes site is a major part of the regeneration of Rotherham and will provide state-of the art facilities both for football fans on matchdays and for schools, community groups and businesses to use at other times throughout the year. Work to prepare the site has begun and work on the stadium itself is due to start soon. The Stadium is due to open at the start of the 2012/13 season.
Risk From Student Visa Changes Responding to a Government report that their changes to overseas student visa requirements will cost the British economy a “shocking” £2.4 billion, Paul Blomfield MP has urged the Government to think again. Mr Blomfield, said the Government’s student visa reforms go too far and risk damaging Britain’s universities and the economy. “Our world-class universities and colleges attract the best and brightest international students to study here, contributing an estimated £40 billion
to the UK economy. We should clamp down on bogus colleges, but the Government’s ideologically-driven reforms go too far. By discouraging able and bona fide students, the Government will reduce vital fee income, damage the research capabilities of our universities and hit the economy hard. “International students contribute over £160 million each year to Sheffield’s local economy. By cutting student numbers the Government is damaging growth and jobs at a time when we can least
Rotherham Raises Flag to Armed Forces Past and Present
£17M Sheffield Market Building gets Go-Ahead PLANS for Sheffield’s new £17m Moor Market project have been given the green light, bringing an end to years of delays. The plan to replace the Castle Market with a new development is a central part of the regeneration of the city centre. A Sheffield Council spokeswoman said: “Detailed designs will be completed in time for a start on site next year and completion towards the end of 2013.” The owner of the land is Scottish Widows, which has allowed the council to use the site rent-free in exchange for a
250-year lease on the rest of the street. The new market will be built on cleared land between Eyre Street and The Moor and will contain 200 new market stalls and six separate retail units. Labour councillor Mohammad Maroof said: “I’m delighted that after a long period of delays, we are now seeing the regeneration of the Moor that we have been waiting for. “We are delighted that Scottish Widows have reached an agreement with the council so that this can finally go ahead.”
Council Digging into Reserves The contribution made by Rotherham's military personnel - both serving or retired – was celebrated recently when the Armed Forces Day flag was raised over Rotherham Town Hall. The event, to which the public were invited, marked the start of Armed Forces Day celebrations around the country, when last year over 4,000 flags were flown in support of the military community, both serving and retired, at home and abroad. The Mayor of Rotherham, Coun. Shaun Wright, attended the event, which was organised by Rotherham Borough Council, together with Council Leader, Coun. Roger Stone; Coun. Mahroof Hussain, Cabinet Member for Community Development and Young People;
and council members. Coun. Hussain said the Armed Forces Day celebration is a public acknowledgement of the major role that the men and women of the armed forces play. He said: "This event is Rotherham's opportunity to recognise what people across Rotherham have done and continue to do through their service. Our Armed Forces have a proud tradition of attracting people of all colours, faiths and backgrounds, united together in serving their country, and so this is very much part of the One Town, One Community vision for Rotherham, which promotes the values of inclusion, respect for diversity and the need to challenge intolerance, extremism and injustice."
A report released by Sheffield City Council revealed that the previous Liberal Democrat Administration left the new Labour Administration a £13,400,000 budget surplus, as a result of prudent financial management. Amongst the reasons for the budget surplus is the new recycling service, which Labour opposed. Due to extra recyclable materials being collected and
less waste in the black bin there was an underspend of £1.6m. Liberal Democrats ran Sheffield City Council between 2008 and 2011, before the Labour Party took control in May this year. Thanks to sound financial management the Council has a £13,400,000 budget surplus in the last financial year.
Lib Dems Left Council with £13,400,000 Budget Surplus
Sixth Form Funding Cuts
Paul Blomfield MP has challenged the Education Secretary in Parliament about cuts to Sixth Form funding in Sheffield. Mr Blomfield raised the issue with Michael Gove at Education Questions and has now written to him asking him why local sixth forms are facing cuts. In a recent joint letter to parents and carers,
the Head teachers of 7 local sixth forms outlined how their budgets are being reduced by 20% over the next 3 years. The Head teachers state that this is forcing them to consider cutting the range of courses they offer, increasing class sizes, and reducing guidance and enrichment sessions.
The controlling Labour Group on Sheffield City Council have set out how they intend to amend the Council's budget over the rest of the financial year. The £2m programme is less than the £2.5m programme promised before the election and proposals include the use of reserves. Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Sheffield City Council, said: "Cllr Dore said Labour wouldnt make promises they can't keep, but when you look at these
proposals in detail you can see that Labour have done exactly that. Many of their proposals before the election have been watered down and others have been dropped altogether. However, the most worrying news is that Labour are dipping into the healthy level of reserves Lib Dems left them in order to fund much of this £2m programme. We need the resources to ensure vital front line services are protected and council tax is kept to a minimum."
Exciting new plans geared to attracting jobs, investment and growth for the future of Rotherham will be unveiled to the public this month. Members of Rotherham Borough Council’s Cabinet gave the green light to the next phase of widespread public consultation on the Local Development Framework – the authority’s overall vision for the future development of the Borough for the next 15 years. During July, August and September, the public are to be asked their views on the details of the proposals at numerous drop-in sessions, workshops , seminars and via the website. The last consultation on the LDF – Local Development Framework – took place in 2009 and as a result of both the feedback from that and changes in Government policy the authority has significantly re-
duced its housing target, the employment land requirement and the amount of Green Belt land to be released. The housing target has been reduced by 27 per cent to 850 new homes per year – a total of 12,750 homes to be built over the period of the 15 year plan from 2012 to 2027 to meet the housing shortage. The employment land target has been reduced by 30 per cent with around 230 hectares being proposed for new economic development and a further five hectares for new office floorspace. The amount of Green Belt land to be released has been reduced by 60 per cent to a maximum of 440 hectares with the authority maintaining a ‘brownfield first’ approach and the phased release of Green Belt towards the end of the 15 year period.
Sheffield’s new Labour Council is urging the Government to reconsider their decision not to give Sheffield a share of the £30 million Housing Market Renewal Funding. Last month, it was announced that £30 million was being made available to support families who are trapped in abandoned streets due to stalled housing demolition projects. However, Sheffield was not in-
cluded in the list of areas due to receive the funding, despite the fact that there are Housing Market Renewal Projects in the city that have been stalled. The Council will now work with other South Yorkshire authorities to make the case for Sheffield by meeting with Tory Housing Minister, Grant Shapps, highlighting the need for the investment.
Public Consultation on the Future of Rotherham
No Housing Market Renewal Money for Sheffield
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Sheffield Keeps GB Volleyball’s Olympic Dream Alive Sheffield is celebrating as the announcement is made that GB Women’s Volleyball will remain in the city. In a remarkable collaborative effort lead by Sheffield City Council, the team has been provided with the accommodation, hospitality, training facilities and medical support they need to successfully train in Sheffield for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Following the reduction in British Volleyball's funding, the GB Women's programme was in danger of shutting down in Sheffield. Despite having their London 2012 Olympic Games places confirmed by
the British Olympic Association earlier this year, this would have left their plans to compete in the Olympic Games in jeopardy. Sheffield City Council, supported by Podium Projects, has developed a partnership which sees Sheffield Hallam University providing a full suite of sports science services and accommodation, Hospitality Sheffield providing accommodation for players and staff, Claremont
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Hospital providing Sports Medicine, All Saints School and SIV providing court time for training and Stagecoach Supertram providing access to travel for the players. This unique partnership and support from organisations across the city provides the support structure required for the team and has allowed them to put together a gruelling schedule of games. The British Volleyball Federation’s Men and Women's teams are based at the English Institute of Sport – Sheffield (EIS Sheffield). The squads take part in regular training camps at EIS Sheffield and stage many qualifying and championship events in the state-of-the-art venue. Sheffield hosts four GB Olympic sports (boxing, table tennis, volleyball and diving) and one Paralympic sport (table tennis), as well as numerous individual athletes such as Jessica Ennis. Sheffield has also signed USA Diving, Brazil Judo and the Serbian Olympic committees for Pre Games Training camps. They will generate in excess of £250,000 of economic benefit for the city. We are talking to other sports from USA, Brazil, China and Canada. The additional major sports event attracted prior to the games have benefitted the city financially. This years major Sports Events Programme is worth £6 million alone.
Zesh Rehman Foundation Youths Visit Liverpool Training Ground
Four lucky students from the Zesh Rehman Foundation (ZRF) won the chance to have a tour of the Liverpool training ground Melwood. The youths met the 1st team players, obtained autographs, and more so, were fortunate enough to watch the players train as part of the ZRF's ‘Healthy Active Lifestyle’ programme. Abdulla, Abid, Osama and Dhanish all from KD Grammar School in Manchester, were the winners of the ZRF poster competition and were selected by the Liverpool 1st Team Club Doctor Zaf Iqbal and Riz Rehman, ceo for the ZRF. The ZRF was launched last year by former Fulham, QPR and Bradford City Captain Zesh Rehman with the aim of offering positive opportunities for young people to aspire and excel within the football world. Zesh Rehman is the first British Asian to start a Premier League match and also the first to have played in all four divisions of professional football in Eng-
land. The Zesh Rehman Foundation was launched in May 2010 to: "Use football as a vehicle for personal self development and equip young people regardless of ethnicity and background to aspire to enter the football industry" Recent research from NHS has reported that the majority of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups participating in sports and physical activity is lower than the national average. Thus, resulting in higher risks of cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes, two diseases which are prevalent in BME communities.
One of the main factors contributing to such low levels of participation is a lack of BME role models who have little involvement with organised sporting activities. Dr Zaf Iqbal was keen to get involved with the ZRF and played a huge role in writing up the programme with the ZRF NorthWest coordinator Irfan Kawri and
experienced teaching staff at KD Grammar School. Talking about the programme, Dr Zaf said: "With physical inactivity and obesity on the increase among children in the UK, there is a desperate need to try and halt this worrying trend. The pilot was a one week crosscurricular programme for students involving PE, Maths and Science, and was to designed to see if we could increase awareness of requirements and promote physical activity among school children. We hoped that by delivering the
"We plan to hold more tours and events similar to this in the future. It’s a great way to motivate young people and show them the
opportunities available to them if they work hard. As footballers, it’s important we act as good role models and give something back to the community". Talking about the programme and the Melwood visit, Abid Abu, 12, who is also a Liverpool fan said: "Since the programme at our school I have already started to do more exercise and watch what I eat. It was a dream to meet all theLiverpool players”. Riz Rehman said: “On behalf of the Foundation I would like to thank Dr Zaf and everyone at Liverpool FC who made us feel messages through individuals very welcome”. linked with inspirational role models such as Zesh Rehman and Liverpool FC there would be an added incentive for the children to take interest". Although Zesh was not present due to his playing commitments in Thailand, he did manage to congratulate the students through Skype. Zesh said:
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BINLADENDEATH STILL IN DOUBT
The killing of Osama Bin Laden is still shrouded in mystery, still many questions are unanswered. Iranian President Ahmedinejad revealed that Osama bin Laden was a prisoner in US custody for "sometime" before he was killed by the American Commandos. "I have exact information that bin Laden was held by the American military for sometime... until the day they killed him he was a prisoner held by them," the president said in a live interview on Iranian
state television. "Please pay attention. This is important. He was held by them for sometime. They made him sick and while he was sick they killed him," Ahmadinejad added. He accused US President Barack Obama for announcing the AlQaeda leader's death for "political gain." "What the US president has done is for domestic political gain. In other words, they killed him for Mr Obama's election and now they are seeking to replace him with someone else," Ahmadinejad focused to a ‘conspiracy theory’. On May 4, Iranian Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi too had cast doubt on bin Laden's death, saying there were "ambiguities" over the way he was killed. The Americans "said they threw his body in the sea. Why did they not allow an independent expert to examine the body to say if it was Osama bin Laden or not?" Vahidi argued.
SURESTART
FUNDING SAFE to fund a pre-election promise
Before the election Labour pledged to cut £425,000 from schools via the dedicated schools grant in order to pay for their pre-election promise of no cuts to Sheffield’s SureStart centres. However, after facing opposition from local schools they have now dropped the plan. Labour controlled Sheffield City Council have now revealed that they have dropped one of their key pledges
by announcing “we have found the money from elsewhere”, although Labour councillors refused to reveal where. Its clear education cuts would be difficult but the people of Sheffield have a right to know where cuts of £0.5m have been made instead. Transparency of the council waits to be seen.
WEEKLY BIN COLLECTION VOTED DOWN Labour councillors on Sheffield City Council voted down a Lib Dem proposal to keep the weekly collection of black bins in Sheffield. Liberal Democrat councillors tabled the motion at a Full Council meeting. However, it was voted down by Labour councillors who have instead committed to a review that will include looking at cutting the number of bin collections. The move comes despite the news that the Government could provide extra funding for local authorities to keep their bin collection weekly. Also Labour didn’t include fortnightly bin collections as part of their local election manifesto. Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Sheffield City Council, said: - “I’m disappointed that every single Labour councillor voted against keeping the weekly bin collection. “During the debate they refused to rule out cutting the number of bin collections and have even included it in their review. Our fear is that this is just a smoke screen for Labour to introduce fortnightly bin collections. Labour kept their plans for largescale front line service cuts and council tax increases secret before the election. Now they have control we fear that they will force this agenda on local people without any consultation
US POLICY TOWARDS PAKISTAN LACKS General Pasha, during his briefing to the Pakistani parliament exposed that Pakistan is facing several troubles due to unilateral policy towards USA, he also indicated that the dire need of revamping of US policy . He also suggested that ISI and Pak Army have no reluctance, if a probe committee or Commission to fix the responsibility is formed. The ball is still in court of the parliamentarians. But the weak legislatures did not able to identify the members of the proposed Commission yet. The principal protagonist , Chudhary Nisar Ali Khan announced few tentative names, but so far it is not finalized, which is top most priority for ensuring the security of the country an the Military institution. General Pasha, the ISI chief submitted that 'future relationship with the United States about what parliament decides, we will follow you.' The surrender of General Pasha and submissive gestures of General Kiyani shocked the brains at Capitol Hill, forced John Kerry to have a stormy visit to Pakistan , who foresaw a sudden U-turn of Pakistani Establishment after the ‘issue’ of violating sovereignty of Pakistan to kill OBL, added by growing discontentment among the masses against the Drone Attacks, in particular. He managed to salvage the ‘bilateral’ relationship with little changes in the Pak-US security and diplo-
matic relations, as Obama announced to inform the Military establishment of Pakistan before any possible hunt-attack on intelligence information to capture or killing the high-valued target. Few days after the incident, Capitol Hill observed that the weak political leadership of Pakistan and equally impotent opposition , failed to pursue the initiative what General Pasha, proposed in the parliament, then, President Obama took another U-turn and reiterated to take unilateral action , like that of Osama bin Laden, within Pakistan, if any high value-target is tracked down. Talking to BBC, when asked what he would do if one of al-Qaeda's top leaders, or the Taliban leader Mullah Omar, was tracked down to a location in Pakistan or another sovereign territory, he said the US would take unilateral action if required. The British prime minister congratulated the American president on the operation that led to the killing of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. “This was not just victory for justice but a strike at the heart of international terrorism.” David Cameron’s clear conclusion that the West must continue to work with Pakistan. “People are asking about our relationship so we need to be clear. Pakistan has suffered more from terrorism than any country in the world. So far from walking away, we hope
to work even more closely with them.” Obama said Nato forces were “preparing to turn a corner” in Afghanistan. He and Cameron “affirmed the importance of beginning the transition to an Afghan lead for security this year and completing that transition by 2014”. He added: “We discussed the opportunity that exists for promoting reconciliation and political settlement, which must be an Afghan-led process. What lacks in the policy of Obama towards Pakistan , as a balancing factor, is the ‘less commitment’ and ‘high expectations’. Besides all the negative factors, as exposed in the recent times in Pakistan i.e. lesser political will to combat the oddities, mal-governance, lack of statesmanship, security negligence or massive corruption , USA and the West has realized that only emancipator available to USA to facilitate her in securing release from the clutches of Afghanistan ‘venture’ , is Pakistan . Obama has to devise a clear-cut policy towards Pakistan, as it is very difficult to play’ hide and seek’ or personify a wavering policy of ‘ to be or not be’ to get certain objectives, will not bear any fruit ,in the presence of vibrant Media and charged nation, though weak political leadership .Iftikhar Chaudri
CALL FOR £250,000 WORLD CUP REFUND In 2010 England launched a bid to host the 2018 Football World Cup, with Sheffield successfully bidding to be one of the host cities. As part of the agreement Sheffield City Council were required to pay around £250,000 towards the total bid cost, although the City would have benefitted from millions if England had won. In December 2010, England learnt that they were unsuccessful in their bid, as the tournament was awarded to Russia. However, new allegations of corruption against FIFA,
football’s world governing body, have cast doubt on the legitimacy of the decision. Now Lib Dem councillors in Sheffield are calling on the FA to recover their costs from FIFA so Sheffield’s
£250,000 can be refunded to local taxpayers. Sheffield Lib Dem councillors are calling for Sheffield City Council to formally seek the money back.
Scientists reveal why hair turns grey - And why it stops growing... George Clooney may be able to pull it off, but for most people grey hair is just an unwelcome sign of ageing. Now a new study has shed light on why hair turns grey, paving the way for potential treatments which could help hair retain its natural colour. Researchers at the New York University Langone Medical Centre think that a breakdown in communication between the stem cells in hair follicles and melanocyte stem cells may be the cause of hair turning grey. Melanocytes are the pigment producing cells which give hair its colour, while follicle stem cells are responsible for the growth of new hair. "We have
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known for decades that hair follicle stem cells and pigment-producing melanocycte cells collaborate to produce coloured hair, but the underlying reasons were unknown," said Dr. Mayumi Ito, who led the study. The scientists used a mouse model to examine how the follicle cells and melanocytes work together to generate hair growth and produce hair colour. They identified a signalling pathway - known as Wnt - which follicle cells use to send instructions to, and activate stem cell melanocytes. Once they receive the Wnt signal, the melanocytes start producing pigment which gives hair its colour. Inhibiting Wnt signalling in hair follicle
stem cells inhibited both hair re-growth and prevented melanocyte stem cell activation leading to depigmented or grey hair in mice. The study findings suggest that manipulating the Wnt signalling pathway may help prevent hair turning grey and even prevent hair thinning. If scientists managed to achieve this in humans, it would be welcome news to the many men and women of a certain age who spend a small fortune on hair colouring. The research also provides insight into diseases in which melanocytes are lost, or grow uncontrollably as in the deadly type of skin cancer, melanoma.
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Sound
A Wasted War by: Z ALI Raza pk We are all aware of the state of affairs in Pakistan in relation to its international position. But what next? What is the future for the rest of the world? The US has decided to withdraw troupes from Afghanistan albeit a reduction in troupes at this moment, but are they leaving because they have won the “war” or lost it? No individual or government will admit to having lost a war and so neither will the US admit their defeat. The Afghans may say they have won and driven the US troupes out
of their stronghold on the other hand the US have the right to say they have been victorious and thus are leaving. The legacy left behind is one which will be felt for centuries. It will scar the hearts and minds of the people of Afghanistan for a long time. Who have lost and who has gained in this game of victory and defeat? We only need to look at how many innocents have lost their lives in this feeble display of strength. How much of the worlds money have the leaders of the world used and wasted just to show their strength, when this money could have better utilised for education, health, social development and to end poverty. But
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no one is asking questions to these big leaders and neither will anyone raise enough voices to ask. In a time when this world is globalised and advanced as it has ever been, we don’t need any attacks on weaker, unwesternised, poorer or unsuspecting countries to gain power or display our own advancements in warfare. Every corner of the world now displays advancements in technology, education, bureaucrats and qualified people. Leaders and governments utilise these people for the development of
their country and the betterment of its people, but war and killing and bombing by these so cslled big powerful states don’t display their intelligence but instead they show their idiocracy and stupidity. These conflicts should be resolved through dialogue and table talk. The money wasted on bullets and war could have been used on education and technology in a developing country. Its plain to see that the outcome of the war in Afghanistan has been a waste of money, wasting of lives, a waste of time and a setback for advancement of the country, and now after 10 years of war the US say these conflicts can be resolved over the table, therefore is should be a lesson
that no country should go to war again. The US has opened talks with the Taliban....these are long overdue discussions!! Have they not learnt the lessons from wars before. The US have continually installed and withdrawn troupes from one country to another. Again and again it has been about show of strength. A country like the US can obviously show its strength if they always target the less fortunate than them, then of course they have the means to invade these coun-
tries. The US has become the police of the world by showing us all borders are penetratable to its military. At this time we need peace not war. The billions wasted on bullets can be invested to end the recession in the world. Just like the US has built allies, if the countries who have been destroyed and invaded build a bloc of friends then both these blocs could stand against each other and trigger world war three. The poorer countries have nothing to loose they are already destroyed, but this has no resolve. Thats why the world should be focusing on talks, and on educating people to irradicate the reality of war that is.
APakistaniPerspective:
Is USThreat to Block Pakistan ‘Aid’ a Blessing in Disguise? by: Yasmeen Ali
“Pakistan must do more.” That statement by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has become a laugh line in Pakistani drawing rooms. The 9/11 attacks resulted in 2,996 deaths -- 246 on the planes,2606 in towers and on ground, 126 at the Pentagon. The attacks justified an invasion of Afghanistan, the Iraq War and also attacks on the America’s “ally in war on terror,” Pakistan. The US has come a long way since. The policy of extrajudicial killings survived the Bush/ Cheney era and has intensified from an estimated 45 attacks under Bush to 200 under Obama. Few of those killed in these attacks have been militants. Most have been civilians. Indeed, according to the New American Foundation, only 2% of deaths have been of militants. But hey, that’s ok. That’s why the term “collateral damage” was coined, right? The Pakistan Army has been engaged in a non-conventional war since 2001, resulting in millions being displaced and in civil amenities being destroyed. Yet there is now increasing pressure from the US on Pakistan to have out army target the region of our own country called North Waziristan. Pakistan, the US says, needs to “do more.” In an article carried by the Pakhtoonistan Gazette on 10th April 2011, Muhammad Tahir comments on a White House report claiming that Pakistan has no “clear path” to defeat militants on its soil. My humble submission, dear readers, is: Neither does the USA. However, Pakistan needs to “do more.” US drone attacks in Pakistan are killing mostly civilians, plus any lingering affection for America has faded. To ensure Pakistan does “do-more”, US lawmakers have demanded tougher scrutiny
of the $1.1 billion in counterinsurgency funds provided to Pakistan. Congress required that it have 30 days to review any administration spending plans on Pakistan before 75% of the funds can be released. Democratic Representative Norman Dicks is hit the bull’s eye when he said that a choice must be made about where to spend the funds: on the American people, or on foreign wars. He said, “I think that is a choice we are all going to have to consider in the
tion, what must this Pakistani ‘tea boy’ do? For starters, try developing some dignity and stop being so damned apologetic. After that, strengthen his position in the South West Asia region, by developing trade and other treaties with countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Bangladesh & China. Of course any closeness with China will be frowned upon by the restaurant owner, who may decide to deduct money from the ‘tea boy’s’ pay on some pretext
days ahead.” So True! However, America’s “ally in war on terror” has no such right to prioritize the needs of its country! With Pakistan, it’s: “Do more”... or else! The Kerry-Lugar Bill passed by the US Senate already stipulates that for the fiscal years 2011 through 2014, no security-related assistance may be provided to Pakistan in a given fiscal year until the Secretary of State, under the direction of the President, makes the certification required under the bill’s provision, that Pakistan is doing America’s bidding in the “War on Terror.” Pakistan must “Do more,” or else! A friend wrote, “Pakistan has been relegated to the level of a ‘tea boy’ working in the street restaurant for its master. The tea boy must do to his master’s bidding...or else!” So in this situa-
at the end of the month. That’s a risk worth taking. And how about if Pakistan look towards Germany for arms sales? Germany is a rising power in the arms trade business. A study by the U.S. Congressional Research office says Germany, with an 8 percent share of the global market, now ranks third behind the United States (41 percent) and Russia (10.5 percent). One thing Pakistan needs to do pronto: Unless we want to remain the ‘tea boy’ for the rest of this interminable ‘War on Terror,’ stop expecting others to look after our national interests. This is the task of Pakistan herself, not others! Yes Pakistan must “Do more,” but please, not in someone else’s interest, but in our own!
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Demolish ‘Berlin Wall’ Inspiring Children's of Kashmir: Mirwaiz Festival Kicks Off ple meet each other,” Umar said. Mirwaiz said that Kashmir issue was the main controversy between the two countries and people were the worst sufferers of Indo-Pak animosity. “Now it has been evident, Kashmir is the only hurdle between the two countries. Kashmir issue has weakened the every facet of the two countries be it peace or economy,” he said. On his recent conversation with German delegation, Omar said that he made it clear to the diplomats that peace could only prevail when Kashmir issue is resolved. He said that the people of Kashmir should be given a chance to represent the aspirations of the people.
Srinagar; Stating that Kashmir issue could be resolved only through a composite dialogue, Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Friday said that Line of Control was the biggest irritant between India and Pakistan. “Line of Control is like the Berlin Wall parting people of two sides of Kashmir. It is only the composite dialogue which can resolve Kashmir issue,” Mirwaiz told Friday congregation at historic Jamia Masjid here. He said that the cross border trade should be made easy. “People of the two countries are longing to see their relatives across the borders and trade should be diversified and made easy to let peo-
Womens’ Campaign Against Pension Changes Sheffield Labour Group will be calling for all parties to stand up for the Sheffield women who will be adversely affected by Government plans to accelerate changes to the retirement age, at a Full Council meeting next week. Earlier this month a group of local women presented a national petition with 10,000 signatures to the office of Nick Clegg MP, calling on the Deputy Prime Minister to rethink the policy, which will see many women waiting for more than a year longer before receiving the state pension. The Pensions Bill, which was passed through Second Reading in parliament last Monday, involves bringing forward planned changes to the state pension age with 300,000 women born between 6 December 1953 and 5 October 1954, having to wait an extra 18 months. 33,000 born between 6 March 1954 and 5 April 1954 will have to wait an extra 2 years.
The Government have come under fire for this particular aspect of pension reform and it is rumoured that they are considering a u-turn, Labour are calling on the Government to see sense and ditch the plans. Labour Leader of Sheffield City Council, Councillor Julie Dore, said: “It seems particularly unfair to these women who are having their state pension age put back with such little notice, many will have planned their retirement for many years now and the Government are tearing up these plans at the last minute. “I think that the women who petitioned Nick Clegg have a strong case. The coalition agreement promised that the state pension age would not start to rise to 66 for women until 2020, a promise which they are clearly breaking. We hope that by adding our support we can put pressure on the Government to change course.”
Rotherham's Children's Festival gets into full gear as it aims to inspire children, families and educationalists to celebrate learning. The spectacular event at Magna Science Adventure Centre runs from June 27 to July 15 and follows on the success of last year's event which welcomed over 8,000 visitors. This year's Festival will start off with a musical theme and is then gearing up for an event for the public to come along and be inspired about communication and learning. The Inspired Families event will run from 10am to 2.30pm on Sunday
July 10, is open to the public, and involves an array of family communication activities and workshops for all ages to enjoy as well as free resources and information for families. It will also provide a showcase of projects and activities which have been delivered across Rotherham through the Inspire Rotherham Literacy Campaign. The event is free to enter and for those wanting to visit the rest of the Magna Centre on that day, the centre is offering free entry for a child with one paying adult, if they have visited the Inspired Families Event.
Labour Fears over Growing Homelessness Labour have highlighted fears over an increasing number of cases of homelessness over the past year. Statistics show a 38% increase in homelessness in Sheffield from the start of 2010 to the start of 2011. The figures show that in Quarter 1 during 2010, 198 people in Sheffield were accepted as homeless. While in Quarter 1 in 2011, 273 people in the City were accepted as homeless; a jump of 38% in one year. The figures include households accepted by the local authority as being homeless and in priority need but do not include rough sleepers, people living in B&B accommodation, people residing in refuges and night shelters, those in short term arrangements with friends/family or squatters. Labour have highlighted concerns that the Government’s cuts to the Supporting People
programme and other housing support programmes have contributed to this increase. The issue will be raised at a meeting of the Council on 6th July, where Labour will confirm the Council’s commitment to continue to work with partners and other organisations to help prevent and tackle homelessness in Sheffield. Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Harry Harpham has also confirmed that he will be writing to Government Housing minister Grant Shapps MP to bring the Council’s concerns to his attention.
Legal Corner
Q & A Property Law Mohammed Nazir Solicitor
Head of Property/Immigration, Wosskow Brown
information about the drains, water supply and past mining in the local area. The solicitor should also conduct a chancel and environmental search to deA If you are borrowing termine the chancel liability and money from the bank or building any possible contaminated land society by way of mortgage then issues. your bank or building society inI am buying a properstruct their surveyors to survey Q the property and determine the ty and my solicitor is asking for valuation. However this survey proof of deposit and my identifiis not for you to rely on for your cation documents. Why is this? purchase purposes as the banks Under money launsurveyor does not owe any duty A of care to you (you cannot hold dering rules solicitors are duty bound to request proof of deposhim liable for negligence. The home buyers survey is a it and identification documents special survey for the home buy- from their clients as they have to ers and the surveyor conducts a keep these records on their file. detailed report about the valuaI am buying a proption and any possible faults or Q defects to the property. If in erty and I want a quick complefuture there is any fault which tion. How can this be achieved? should be covered in that report You should apply for and it has not been picked up by A the surveyor then he could be li- the mortgage in advance so once able for negligence and you can you have found a property then claim damages by way of com- the bank can request a valuation survey. If your bank or building pensation from him. society (the mortgage lender) Q Why does a solicitor accepts the No Search Indemniconduct the searches for the pur- ty then you can ask your solicitor to put in place this indemnity chase of a property? A The solicitor has to instead of conducting searches. conduct the searches to de- This should be at the discretion termine various items namely of the lender whether they acroads, maintenance, planning cept this sort of indemnity insurapplications, building regula- ance. Most lenders have their tions etc. The mining and water guidance for the solicitors in the and drainage search contained CML Handbook. Q Please advise me on the difference between lenders survey and a home buyers survey.
Lib Dems Top of the Class on Education
Figures have revealed significant improvements in local pupils GCSE grades under the previous Liberal Democrat Administration on Sheffield City Council. When the Lib Dems took control of Sheffield City Council in 2008, local schools sat at the bottom of national league tables, lagging behind the national average. However, new policies have seen record year-on-year improvements with Sheffield finally beginning to close the gap on national results. A report considered at the Council’s Children, Young People and Family Support Scrutiny Committee today revealed that the gap of 7% in 2008 had been reduced to just 4.2% in 2010. In 2008 40.6% of young people achieving five or more A*-C GCSE grades (including English and Maths). However by 2010,
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when Sheffield recorded record was being tackled and results exam results in two consecutive in Sheffield were finally start-
years this increased to 49.2%. Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed, Liberal Democrat Group Leader, said: “These figures confirm what many local people across Sheffield already know – that under the Lib Dems years of underachievement with Labour
ing to improve. “New policies, like bringing in new head teachers and improving support for school governors, led to record exam results year-on-year. I hope the new administration continues the good work we began.”
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Student Burglary Initiative The Broomhill and Sharrow Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs) launched their latest initiative in the west of the city to crack down on areas affected by sneak-in burglaries. Burglaries tends to peak at this time of year with longer daylight hours and warmer weather, people spend more time outside and leave doors and windows open. Burglaries, predominately those that take place in the spring and summer months, are usually gained through insecure doors and windows, especially in multi occupancy properties, where students can be easy targets for opportunist thieves, as they tend to own quite a few desirable items. Officers visited the universities to offer students crime prevention advice and warnings about leaving items such as laptops, MP3
players and Wii consoles on view of thieves. Officers also visited secondhand shops and pawnbroker businesses to raise awareness, in an effort to disrupt disposal routes for stolen items, and prevent and reduce the opportunity for thieves to make money out of stolen goods. Inspector Ian Roberts who leads the Broomhill and Sharrow SNTs said: “We will be working alongside the universities and our student communities, to raise awareness, and provide crime prevention advice to help us crack down on sneak-in burglaries. It only takes seconds for someone to sneak in through an unlocked door or to reach through an open window and steal your possessions. “By following a few basic steps you can greatly reduce your chances of becoming a victim of
burglary.” • Remember to lock all doors and windows when leaving any premises • Store keys in a safe place away from doors and windows • Don’t leave a spare key in a convenient hiding place such as under the doormat or in a flowerpot • Avoid leaving valuables such as laptops, IPods and mobiles in view of prying eyes • Alarming premises, sheds, garages and outbuildings • Always check the identity carefully of any unknown callers, before letting them in to your property • Ensuring that your property is identifiable by marking it or registering expensive items on the UK National Property Register, which can be found at www.immobilise.com
5yrs Entry Card For British Citizens for Hajj &Umrah Visits Sheffield labour Councillor Ibrar Hussain, councillor for Burngreave Ward has been petitioning many members of muslim community after he received request for help with having direct flights for saudi airline from north of england from manchester airport or leeds / bradford airport to avoid long haul travel to heathrow airport for direct flights to travel to saudi arabia for holy pilgrimage of haj or umrah for muslims of south yorkshire and sheffield and yorkshire as larger area. Local community wants to travel to and from saudi arabia in directs
flights which are easier ,quick and trouble free and when local very handy and no jet lagging. Cllr ibrar hussain said" local people asked me for help with this initiative and I obliged as I have travelled to and from saudi many times my self for pilgrimage and I know how stressful flights it can be when you don't travel direct but via another country airline" Cllr ibrar hussain will today handover petition to david blunkett mp and clive betts,paul blomfield mp to follow up with saudi airlines and saudi embassy. Cllr ibrar Hussain has now con-
tacted direct saudi govt about 5yr entry card to avoid annual visa applications and long waits,delays at airports and checking points for uk passport holders to have easy travel and free from any hassle. Saudi govt have responded and have said they will follow up this suggestion made. For any further information please contact Councillor Ibrar Hussain, Councillor for Burngreave Ward, Sheffield City Council, Labour Group Office, Sheffield, S1 2HH. Office: 01142735588 Tel: 07866571750 Email: ibrar.hussain@sheffield.gov.uk
Sheffield Labour Friends of Palestine Sheffield Labour Friends of Palestine – first meeting, Sunday 3rd July Events this year in Libya, Egypt and Syria have dominated the attention on the Middle East, but I believe that we should also stay focused on achieving justice and lasting peace between Palestine and Israel. I’m therefore setting up a Sheffield Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East group. The group will be open to all and the first meeting will on Sunday 3rd July from 2pm-3.30pm at the Thompsons Solicitors Building on Arundel gate roundabout. Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East works within the Labour movement to support
a two state solution that delivers justice and freedom for the Palestinian people; campaigns for a lasting peace and internation-
estine supporters in the city. At the first meeting we’ll hear from Richard Burden MP, Chair of the Britain-Palestine All Party Parliamentary Group, and Cllr Mahroof Hussain. Both Richard and Mahroof have recently visited Gaza and will share their experiences with us. If you can come please RSVP to paul.blomfield.mp@parliament.uk or ring my office on 272 2882, and please do spread the word. I don’t want the group to be just for Labour members but also to involve our supporters so please do reach out and invite friends and colleagues to come along.
ally recognised states of Israel and Palestine based on pre-1967 borders, and raises awareness about the humanitarian situation in Palestine. I would like our new Sheffield group to continue this work and be a campaigning Paul Blomfield group that works with other Pal- Labour MP for Sheffield Central
Parents Want More Say On Academy Bid PARENTS are demanding a ballot to determine the future of a popular Sheffield secondary school, after governors announced they were in favour of seeking academy status. Fir Vale School has the right to automatically convert itself into an academy as it has been given an outstanding rating by Ofsted inspectors. Parents called a public meeting to provide a platform for opposition to the plans and also lobbied a governors' meeting where the issue was being discussed. Governors believe the change would bring the school financial benefits and extra independence and they say that they have been looking at the option for the last nine months. But parents feel the consultation process has been too short, has not included all the families affected and has been biased in favour of accepting the plans. The
council's executive director for children Dr Sonia Sharp has also warned the school that it must listen to what the local community has to say. Burngreave councillor Ibrar Hussain said a petition had been
started calling for a full public meeting and an extension of the consultation period. He said: "We also want a ballot of all parents, including parents from Fir Vale's feeder schools. A threeweek consultation is too short and has been by letter only and
many parents are unaware of the real understanding of what these proposals mean both for now and the future." Burngreave Ward Councillors regarding Firvale School gave this statement. "In the last few days, it has become clear to us that there is a great deal of concern amongst local parents – both of children at Firvale and of children in feeder schools – about the whole consultation process and their understanding of academy status." "We want to ensure that local parents have this opportunity and therefore we've asked the Governing Body if they will consider extending the consultation period. We will work with the Governing Body to help them facilitate this." Councillors Jackie Drayton, Ibrar Hussain & Talib Hussain. Councillors for Burngreave Ward
Blow to Rights of Minorities
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ISLAMABAD: Former Federal Minister and a nominee of Nobel Peace Prize J.Salik has lamented that the 18th constitutional amendment has given a serious blow to the democratic and legitimate rights of minorities. In a statement issued in Islamabad he said it is sham democracy the way major political parties have been given the powers to nominate members of the minorities on his discretion. As a result of which, he added there are only
two so called representatives of the Christian community in the present parliament while Hindus are holding eight seats. He further said there is no representative of Parsi, Sikh, Buddhist and Ahmadi communities in the present parliament. He recalled that in the assembly elected under late General Zia-ul-haq ten seats in the parliament were reserved including four from Christian, four from Hindu , one collectively for Parsi, Sikh and Bhuddist communities and one for ‘Qadyanis’. He further pointed out that there were ten members of the minorities when the total strength of the National Assembly was 207; and 217 with the MNA from minorities; while the current strength of the National Assembly is 342 including 60 reserved seats for women, eight Hindus and two Christians. He noted that these seventy seats are filled without direct election which is a violation of article 226 of the constitution. He pointed out that Justice Muneer Sheikh also verified it as
an injustice and suggested that a change is required for electing the minorities and ladies reserved seats during the hearing in October 2002 at superem court. similarly Justice Khalil Ul Rehman Said on 28th September 2010 the present parliament has not made any law regarding the minorities and chief Justice Iftikar Muhammad Chaudry said that the choosing of the minority members in the Parliament is against the Article 226. on the other hand on 6th September 2010 Justice Javed Iqbal said that the present way of electing on the reserved seat is the opposite of democratic reign. He said that it is the irony of the fate that Dr. Kathumal Jewan has replaced late Shahbaz Bhatti without any electoral process which shows that minorities as a whole have nothing to do with the procedure of ‘selection’ of their minorities. He said it is the moral responsibility of all the democratic forces of the country to ensure that democratic rights of the minorities are protected.
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Getting the start for Right for Under 5’s Ensuring the youngest citizens in Sheffield get the best possible start in life is the drive behind a wide-ranging review of services for under 5s in the city. Sheffield City Council is launching a review of early years and multiagency services for the 0-5s and wants to find out of the views of parents, carers and families who use services in the city. Organisations and services in Sheffield that already work with young children and their families are also being asked for their views on the benefits and effectiveness of the support they give alongside the City Council. It will look at what is done well
and best practice that can be built upon as well as learning from other parts of the country including other local authorities on how services can be improved in the future. The starting point will be to relook at the city’s 0-5 strategy – entitled The Best Start for Sheffield ’s Children and Families – to see if it’s achieving its aims and if not if it could be made more streamlined and effective. Quality of services, support for children’s centres, childcare provision and equality of provision and ensuring families get value for money and funding is targeted well by those who provide the service are other areas
of the review. Faced with tighter budgets and financially tougher times ahead, the review will look at ensuring a close working relationship between those people in health, early years and education alongside parents and carers is essential. The review follows on from the new administration’s restoration of £247,000 in childcare subsidies in this year’s Council budget. The call for views ends on July 22. Anyone wishing to participate and share their views should contact their local children’s centre: www. sheffield.gov.uk/findachildrenscentre
Police have pledged to commit to the safety of taxi drivers after a vicious robber was jailed. Ian Laurie, 27, was jailed for four years at Bradford Crown Court after robbing taxi driver Syed Naqvi. The court heard that Mr Naqvi, a taxi driver from Leeds, had taken two women to an address in Tyersal, Bradford, at around 11.30pm on October 24 last year. When they arrived at their destination, they haggled over the fare, and the passengers agreed to pay £10. Laurie
suddenly appeared and opened the driver’s door. He was holding a 20-inch-long metal bar which he raised above the taxi driver’s head. Laurie threatened Mr Navqi and asked him for his money. The taxi driver handed over the £10 still in his hand and was further threatened by Laurie who told him to drive away. Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said it was his duty to protect victims like Mr Navqi who was only doing his job and was providing a public service
without which everybody would suffer. Laurie, of Fairfield Road, Bramley, Leeds, is serving a sentence of 15 weeks’ imprisonment for a summary offence and the new sentence will start when that has been served. Detective Inspector Ian Bryar, of Bradford South CID, said: "We have a strong commitment to the drivers who provide a valued service to the people of Bradford and this outcome really emphasises our stance.”
Serving Prisoner Gets Four Years For Robbing Syed Naqvi
Gaddafi Winning the Battle of Time
States, Germany and Canada). Besides its financial cost (France spends one and a half million Euros a day in Libya), the conflict had a high cost in human lives. According to UN estimates, between 10 and 15 thousand people have died since last February 15, and another million and a half were displaced by war. The coalition led by NATO admitted that the war gives a side benefit to branches of Al Qaeda in the region. The Allies continue, however, to provide assistance to the corrupt, unknown terrorist rebels. France announced it would provide 400 million dollars to the insurgents of the NTC from Libyan assets blocked in the west that belong to the Libyan people (about 150 billion dollars in total). Italy, in turn, promised to release another 500 million dollars. The rebels recently managed to take control of three locations in western Libya, located on the route from Tripoli. Good news for NATO, if true (since they rarely tell the truth), but in no case does it clear the impression that Western military might operates in Libya with a broken compass. The only certainty is that the trigger-happy terrorist supporters intervened in Libya under UN mandate, but the actions undertaken since mid-March are light years away from corresponding to the UN mandate. The planes took off not to protect civilians, but to decapitate the Gaddafi government.
Muammar al Gaddafi is winning the battle of time. The military operations launched by the Western powers against the arsenals of Gaddafi immediately after the Security Council passed UN Resolution 1973 (March 17, 2011) promised a quick end of the regime. The enthusiastic and diffuse Libyan opposition was guaranteed a changeover of power with the consistent help of the allies. Three months after the first bombing of Libya, the synthesis is a total failure of Illusions. The passage of time cleared the smoke of propaganda. Supreme Commander for the transformation of NATO, acknowledged that if operations are prolonged in Libya, the situation could become "critical." Amnesty International completed the apocalyptic panorama with a double denunciation. The NGO made public the repeated atrocities committed during the war hidden by the West and the terrorist rebels, and the once best friend of the "free world," Gaddafi. An intelligence report adds a black argument to this badly prepared war: many of the weapons stolen during the war were sold to the regional branch of al Qaeda. On June 1, NATO decided to extend the intervention in Libya until late September. The NATO countries participating in the Libyan expeditionBelgium, Canada, Denmark,
France, Italy, Norway and the UK are today facing a strategic reorganization of their mission to create a safe conflict perspective that will extend into time and whose stagnation may lead other countries to follow the example of Norway. Oslo announced on June 1 that it was withdrawing from the coalition on 1 August. Despite the continued support of the coalition, the terrorist rebels
Chief Constable Peter Fahy said GMP had invested in other ways for people to contact the force Thirty four public inquiry desks at police stations across Greater Manchester are set to close, as part of plans to save £134m. Greater Manchester Police said a review of the counters found many were rarely used and uneconomic to keep open. It said the way people contacted police was changing and it had launched a consultation with the public about their preferred methods. The force is launching a 101 number, for non-emergency calls, in November. It plans to keep 21 inquiry counte rs open during the consultation, a spokeswoman said. Chief Constable Peter Fahy said the force had invested in neighbourhood policing, police community
support officers, customer serv- formation available online and ice desks and appointments for on social networks, he said. non-emergency issues. GMP has also increased the in-
have advanced more in diplomacy than militarily and have not been able to install themselves so far in key positions. Germany and Canada, both reluctant at first joined the group of countries that recognized the terrorist rebels. In turn, Canada considered that the terrorists are a "valid interlocutor" without being fully recognized. Not anymore. Berlin and Canada recognize the NTC (National Transitional Council) as "the legitimate representative" of the Libyan people, making a total of 14 countries (United Arab Emirates, France, Qatar, United Kingdom, Italy, Gambia, Malta, Jordan, Senegal, Spain, Australia, United
Some Greater Manchester Police inquiry desks to close
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Chief Constable Peter Fahy said GMP had invested in other ways for people to contact the force
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SPY Among the Best in Britain
POLICE in South Yorkshire are among the best in Britain at cracking break-ins and robberies. New crime detection figures show South Yorkshire Police have the third-best detection rate in the country for serious acquisitive crime. Of 20,462 offences reported in Sheffield, Rotherham and Barnsley during the 12 months to the end of March, detectives solved 5,951. But the detection rate - accounting for 29 per cent of all burglaries, robberies and vehicle crimes - means 71 per cent still go unsolved. South Yorkshire’s rate - five percentage points higher than the target set by the county’s Police Authority - is surpassed only by Durham and Lancashire constabularies. South Yorkshire Police also smashed the Authority’s target of reducing reports of serious acquisitive crime by five per cent, achieving a reduction of 11 per cent. The latest figures show house burglaries are at their lowest level in 30 years, and thefts of vehicles are at their lowest since records began in 1974. Theft from vehicles is at its lowest level for 29 years. Police Authority statistics reveal house burglaries were down from 7,279 to 7,249 - a reduction of 30 - in the last 12 months. Theft of vehicles was down from 4,025 to 3,471 - a reduction of 554 - while theft from vehicles was down
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from 10,760 to 8,871 - a reduction of 1,889. Serious violent crime was down from 1,340 to 1,173 and knife crime down from 572 to 490 but gun crime was up from 144 to 155. Charles Perryman, chairman of South Yorkshire Police Authority, said: “Serious acquisitive
crime is one of the top policing priorities for the public. “We realise the impact it can have on communities, and we continue to focus efforts on ensuring crimes are detected and offenders are brought to justice. “The latest figures show a significant step forward in fighting serious acquisitive crime. We will continue to work with the Force in setting stretching targets to ensure this good work continues.” South Yorkshire Police has specialist teams of detectives fo-
cusing specifically on burglary, robbery and vehicle crime. As well as examining crime scenes for forensic evidence - including shoe match identification, DNA and fingerprints - the teams also monitor crime trends, and use intelligence on criminals to deploy officers to hotspots where they hope to catch offenders. Curfew and bail checks are also carried out on offenders released back into the community at the end of their sentences to try to prevent them reoffending. South Yorkshire Police are facing funding cuts of £43 million over the next four years and there are fears crime will increase. Chief Constable Med Hughes has spoken of his concerns that crime will rise as police forces shrink, unemployment soars, councils slash services and courts allow repeat offenders to remain on the streets. Superintendent Tim Innes, South Yorkshire Police’s lead officer for serious acquisitive crime, said: “Despite record performance for South Yorkshire, it’s critical we keep the focus on this area of crime which can be emotionally and financially devastating for victims. “Our success is based upon some key factors - effective use of intelligence, management of offenders, working with partners and communities, quality investigation, and providing a responsive service day in, day out”.
PROPERTY CORNER THE PRIVATE RENTED SECTOR “ARE WE SEEING A RESURGENCE”
by: Mohammed Mahroof BSc (Hons) MRICS
Consultant: Mark Jenkinson & Son
There are many people young and old on housing waiting lists, whether that is with the Council or Housing Associations, the demand seems to be there. The reasons for this could be that more and more people are worried about job security, the economic climate, and the lack of funding from the financial sector, these people are now turning to the private rented sector. The passion for home ownership remains undiminished, but more people are making an informed decision to turn to the rented sector, this gives people flexibility, enabling them to become economically more footloose and move to where the work is – some people choose to be in the rented sector because they can move around more easily to different environments. The rented sector is much more
established in many parts of Europe where ownership is not a key consideration for people. In Great Britain we are much more ownership orientated, but this is arguably changing. The positive aspects of renting for a tenant are that there is flexibility, costs are more or less capped, there are unlikely to be any sudden surprises of major expenditure. Generally speaking repairs and maintenance are the responsibility of owners, and if your likely output is going to be the rent, rates and utility charges you are able to plan more effectively your monetary expenditure. Whereas ownership means you will be paying a mortgage, rates, utility charges and be responsible for repairs and maintenance. Some repairs and maintenance may be unplanned, leading to a financial challenge. If you wanted to move
or were on a fixed term contract, the costs of sale etc., are also major considerations. The question now is how is this demand going to be met, there are developers now beginning to develop land in the country specifically aimed at the rental market and I believe this may start to increase in the future. There are also indications that major landlord are getting more active in the rental market, from a developer/landlord perspective the prospects of good returns is a driver for investment. The key issue still seems to be confidence levels in the financial sector. It is arguable that in the next few years the British attitude towards tenure may well change but the passion for ownership is still quite strong. If you require any other property topic to be covered please feel free to contact the editor.
Missing Person Appeal Police in Sheffield are appealing for information about a man who has gone missing from the Middlewood area of the city. Forty-two-year-old Wayne Michael Furness has not been seen since Monday 27 June 2011, after giving a family member a lift to work in the city centre at around 7am that day. Early enquiries indicate that he may be in Scotland, however,
this has not been confirmed. Wayne is described as a white, around 5ft 6ins tall, of a slim build, with short cropped mousey coloured hair and a tanned complexion. The last time Wayne was seen, he was wearing a green and yellow Adidas T-shirt, blue jeans and calf length black boots. He was driving a white P registered Citroen Berlingo.
Police are appealing for anyone with any information regarding Wayne’s whereabouts to contact South Yorkshire Police on 0114 2202020 quoting missing person reference number 45404. Police would also urge Mr Furness himself to come forward and make contact with the police or his family to reassure them of his safety.
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ALAMA IQBAL SUNDAY CRICKET LEAGUE PMC SHEFFIELD HEADQUATERS:Pakistan Muslim Centre, Sheffield Woodburn Road, Sheffield, S9 3LQ
Division A
ILM News
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A1 Captain: Afraz Khan Secretary: Basharat Khan
22 A2 Captain: S Zeeshan H Naqvi Secretary: Khalid Rehman
PMC PRESIDENT CHAIRMAN PMC SECRETARY : TREASURER: AISCL PMC Syed Zeeshan REPRESENTATIVE Afraz Khan REPRESENTATIVE ALISCL PMC Ibrar Khan Syed F H Shah Muhammad Ali Haider Naqvi Zahid Saleem
Globel XI CC
Osgathorpe XI CC
A4 Captain: Nadeem Jagga Secretary:Shoukat Mehmood
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A6 Captain: Amjad Khan Secretary: Rabnawaz Khan
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A7 Captain: Waheed Khan Secretary: Shahwaiz Khan
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A8 Captain: Iftikhar Ahmad Secretary: Ibrar Azam
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B3 Captain: Jawed Khan Secretary: Tahir Nawaz
OSGATHORPE CC Y.LEOPARDS CC EAGLE STARS CC
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B4 Captain: Shoaib Iqbal Secretary: Saad Basheer
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SEHNSA CC
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A3 Captain: Ghulam Arbi Secretary:Muhammad Saeed
A5 Captain: M Ehtesham Secretary: Yar Muhammad
10 B1 Captain: Aurangzeb Secretary: M Khaliq B2 Captain: Jawad Haider Secretary: M Rafique
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Eaglestars XI CC
Tinsley XI CC
SUNDAY CRICKET LEAGUE PMC - SHEFFIELD
AIM
Our youngsters, children and elders are offered a chance through sports to gain physical and spiritual exercise. This programme is intended to offer a bond with culture and social values. We want to see members of
our community involved by coming together and abstaining from bad influences. To be part of a strong and healthy community and give pride to our culture and country.
B5 Captain: Zaheer Abbas Secrtary: Saqib Shazad
16 B6 Captain: Ibrar Hussain Secretary: Taimoor Khan 11
B7 Captain: Pervez Ahmad Secretary:Khalid Hussain
4 B8 Captain: Sohail Nawaz Secretary: Majid Malik
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Business Rates Localisation
Clive Betts MP welcomed the announcement that the Government is moving towards business rates being retained locally and giving support for tax increment financing. However, Clive Betts said: “Most people will not believe that a promise from Nick Clegg - that the new system will be fair - is an adequate protection.” “Local government finance is incredibly and unnecessarily complicated. Localising business rates will be an important part of changing the national/local balance. However, there is huge imbalance in both the existing economies and the potential for economic regeneration between areas and regions. Any reform has to ensure that some local communities are not simply penalised because their economic growth
potential is limited. Nick Clegg: Councils will retain business rates and borrow against income New legislation allowing local authorities to retain business rates will encourage economic growth, says deputy prime minister Business rates are to be collected and retained locally, allowing councils to borrow against their future income from the taxation to fund local services. Speaking at the Local Government Association conference in Birmingham this week, deputy prime minister Nick Clegg announced the government would introduce legislation in the current Parliamentary session which would overhaul local government finance. Clegg said the bill would include plans to localise the retention of council tax, providing a "dramatic new incentive" for local authorities to encourage economic growth in their area. The legislation would also introduce tax increment finance, allowing local authorities to borrow against future income from the business rates to meet local priorities which could, the deputy prime minister suggested, include developing new homes.
Epilepsy on Rise in Pakistan The province of Khyber Pakthunkhwa is experiencing a rise in the number of epilepsy patients, Geo News reported. Women are among the most affected. According to estimates by the health ministry, 3,000 new epilepsy patients have been registered which is a 30-40% increase
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from last year. Epilepsy is a brain disorder which involves repeated spontaneous seizures. These cause episodes of disturbed brain function that cause changes in attention or behavior. They are caused by abnormally excited electrical signals in the brain.
Smoking and Weight Gain
Scientists say they've finally discovered why smokers tend to gain some weight when they kick the habit. It turns out that nicotine can rev up brain cells that normally signal people to stop eating when they're full. The weight connection isn't huge: On average, quitters gain less than 10 pounds. Still, it's a worry that many smokers cite when asked why they don't try to quit. Now the question is whether the discovery might lead to better treatments to help them quit without worrying about weight. Nicotine hooks onto a variety of receptors, or docking sites, on the surface of cells. That's how it triggers addiction in one part of the brain. But when it comes to weight, the research found that both nicotine and the related drug cytisine were activating a different receptor than the one involved in addiction. This one is located on a small set of neurons in the hypothalamus, a region that regulates appetite. When they gave nicotine to mice without that cellular pathway, it didn't help them lose weight like it did normal mice. Smoking causes cancer, heart attacks and a host of other ailments so worry about modest weight gain shouldn't deter someone from quitting. But smokers who do have that concern should try nicotine-based smokingcessation treatments. The other drug used in the mouse experiments, cytisine, is sold in Eastern Europe for smoking cessation but not in the U.S. Developing a drug to target only these specific receptors would be difficult, caution the scientists, because they're also involved in the body's stress responses in ways that could lead to such side effects as high blood pressure.
Consultation begins on Rotherham's future
Now is the time to have your say on the future of Rotherham! The Boroughwide consultation on the Local Development Framework – the 15 year plan which sets out where development will happen - starts on Monday and everyone is invited to make their views known. The consultation is about not only the overall strategy, which sets out how much
help us make the best choices for their local areas. The last consultation on the LDF took place in 2009 and because of the responses from the public then, and because of changes in government policy, Rotherham is proposing significant reductions to not only its housing target but also the employment land required and the amount of Green Belt it suggests would
taining a 'brownfield first' approach and only a phased release of Green Belt towards the end of the 15 year period, if needed. The Council want the public's views and is advising them that they can view the documents on-line, at public buildings or at the drop-in sessions listed below. The consultation will last until Friday, September 16. The
development and where, but also the details of potential development sites across Rotherham. During July, August and September, the public are being urged to have a look at and comment on the proposals, which will be outlined in two documents. The 'Draft Core Strategy' - the overall plan, and the 'Sites and Policies Issues and Options'- which suggests sites for housing, employment, retail provision and other uses. This is the first time that the Council has actively sought comments on the options for the individual sites, and we need Rotherham people to
be needed to be released. The annual housing target has been reduced by 27 per cent to 850 new homes per year. A new local target of 12,750 new homes is to be built between 2012 and 2027. The figure previously considered was 24,482 new homes. The employment land target has been reduced by 30 per cent with around 230 hectares being proposed for new economic development and a further five hectares for new office floorspace. The amount of Green Belt being suggested to be released has been reduced by 60 per cent with the authority main-
online consultation system can be accessed from Rotherham Borough Council's website at www.rotherham.gov. uk/forwardplanning or comments may be made in writing to be received by 5pm on Friday, September 16, at RMBC, Forward Planning, Planning and Regeneration Service, Bailey House, Rawmarsh Road, ROTHERHAM S60 1TD. For any further information please ring 01709 823869 or Email forward. planning@rotherham.gov.uk. Alternatively, find further details at www.rotherham.gov. uk/forwardplanning
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U.S. STRATEGY toward Pakistan is focused on trying to get Islamabad to give serious help to Washington’s campaign against the Afghan Taliban. There are two rather large problems with this approach. The first is that it is never going to happen. As U.S. diplomats in Pakistan themselves recognize (and as was made ever so clear by the WikiLeaks dispatches), both Pakistani strategic calculations and the feelings of the country’s population make it impossible for Islamabad to take such a step, except in return for U.S. help against India—which Washington also cannot deliver. The second problem is that it gets America’s real priorities in the region back to front. The war in Afghanistan is a temporary U.S. interest, in which the chief concern is not the reality of victory or defeat as such (if only because neither can be clearly defined) but preserving some appearance of success in order to avoid the damage to American military prestige that would result from obvious failure. By contrast, preserving the Pakistani state and containing the terrorist threat to the West from Pakistan is a permanent vital interest not only of the U.S. military and political establishments but of every American citizen. And while the prospects for any sort of real success in Afghanistan look gloomy indeed, if saving Pakistan is the real priority, then things do not look so desperate, despite all the bad news from that country. This is because while getting large numbers of Pakistanis to help America is virtually impossible, getting enough Pakistanis to preserve their existing state is much easier. To a great extent, this is for negative reasons: the elites, and indeed many of the masses, have an acute sense of the horrors that would result from the country’s collapse. However, a degree
of positive loyalty is also present in one key institution and in one key province: namely the military and the Punjab. If Pakistan is to be broken as a state, it will be on the streets of Lahore and other great Punjabi cities, not in the Pashtun mountains. By the same token, the greatest potential terrorist threat to the United States and its Western allies from the region stems not from the illiterate and isolated Pashtuns but from Islamist groups based in urban Punjab, with their far-higher levels of sophistication and their international links, above all to the Pakistani diaspora in the West. OF COURSE, the United States and some of its allies are embroiled in a war in Afghanistan, from which they have to try to extract themselves without humiliation. Inevitably, this conflict creates priorities of its own. Indeed, if the war in Afghanistan is to be America’s priority, then present U.S. concentration on the Pashtun areas of Pakistan is logical, since they are adjacent to Afghanistan, and it is there that the Taliban have their bases and from there that they draw much of their support (it is worth remembering that a majority of Pashtuns live in Pakistan, not Afghanistan, and that cross-border ties have always been very close). Nonetheless, it is essential that the makers of U.S. strategy also keep in mind the vital long-term interests of the United States and the safety of its citizens, interests which will remain long after the last American soldier has left Afghanistan. I have been struck, both in the United States and in Britain, by the tendency of officers and officials to speak and write as if protecting the lives of troops from Taliban attack is the first duty of the U.S. and British states. In fact, it is the duty of soldiers to risk their lives to protect the civilian populations of their countries, and the
A Mutiny Grows in Punjab Anatol Lieven Author, Journalist and policy Analyst
only valid reason why the U.S. and British militaries are in Afghanistan at all is to protect their fellow citizens from terrorism. If that equation is reversed, and the needs of the war in Afghanistan are actually worsening the terrorist threat to the U.S. and British homelands, then our campaign there becomes not just strategically but morally ludicrous. This statement is not intended as a standard attack either on the overweening power of the American armed forces or on the country’s “militarism.” Paradoxically, the U.S. military is not in general a militarist force in the shaping of U.S. policy, if one gives “militarist” its old connotations of aggression and warmongering. Under the last Bush administration, the military was far more cautious than many of the president’s political appointees, and military opposition reportedly played an important part in blocking a U.S. attack on Iran in the last year of Bush’s second term. Military caution is rooted in a strong and realistic sense of the limits on America’s resources and of the potentially catastrophic risks of further openended military commitments. The role of the armed forces in shaping and limiting a U.S. administration’s options may be questionable under the Constitution, but it is something for which we may have good reason to be grateful under a future Republican president after 2012 or 2016. On the other hand, if the U.S. military is already in a war, it does not like to be seen to lose it. This is as
it should be. No country should want its armed forces to be made up of quitters. And, of course, apart from military pride, it is of great importance to U.S. power in the world, and to the struggle against Islamist extremism, that America not be seen to leave Afghanistan in defeat. But there comes a time in many wars when victory itself becomes so elusive, and the costs of pursuing it so great, that a broader and more detached view of national interests sees that these are best served by some form of compromise. This seems to me to be becoming the case in Afghanistan; not because of the costs of the Afghan war itself, which are bearable, but because of the way in which that conflict is destabilizing and radicalizing Pakistan, risking a geopolitical catastrophe for the United States—and the world— which would dwarf anything that could possibly occur in Afghanistan. THAT PAKISTAN is quite simply far more important to the
region, the West and the international community than Afghanistan is a matter not of sentiment but of mathematics. With around 184 million people, Pakistan has nearly six times the population of Afghanistan—or Iraq—over twice the population of Iran and almost two-thirds the population of the entire Arab world put together. A central fact tends to be missed, in part because it is a deeply uncomfortable one for Americans, with their instinctive faith in democracy and their inborn desire to be liked and respected by other nations: that (and with deep regret I can attest to this from my own numerous interviews in Pakistan) the Afghan Taliban enjoy the sympathy of the overwhelming majority of Pakistanis at every level of society. And so the U.S. war there—and America’s demands of Pakistani assistance— are weakening the state. The support for the Taliban is not based in their religious ideology, which is alien to most Pakistanis. It is so prevalent because, as with the antiSoviet mujahideen of the 1980s (who were also not admired for their extremist ideals), the Taliban are seen as a legitimate force of resistance against an alien occupation of the country. PART 2 CONTINUED IN AUGUST...
Halal fast food outlet has been opened in Burngreave
A new Halal fast food outlet has been opened in Burngreave and Grimesthope area by Tariq Mehmood, who has created 6 new jobs in the area. Its a great oppertunity for locals to enjoy the tasty halal food at Khan’s Kebab ranch & Sweets. More than 50 guests, friends and members of family were invited to the opening including well known businessmen of Sheffield.
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Labour Highlight Police Concerns
Sheffield Labour Group have highlighted concerns raised by South Yorkshire Police officers earlier this month, over the impact of Government cuts to policing. A survey by the National Police Federation indicated that 93% of local police officers believe that the service they provide will suffer as a result of the cuts. The report also highlighted that 98.4% believe that morale has fallen. Labour will raise the issue at next week’s Full Council meeting, outlining their concerns over the impact of police cuts and highlighting the broken promises of the Liberal Democrats, who promised additional police officers for South Yorkshire ahead of the 2010 election. They will also confirm the action the new Labour Council have taken to strengthen community safety by reinstating 10 of the PCSO posts cut by the previous Liberal Democrat administration. Cabinet Member with responsibility for community safety, Councillor Harry Harpham, said: “We all know that the police do a great job helping to make our communities safe, but when the Government are cutting funding by 20%, it’s not surprising that front line officers in South Yorkshire are really concerned that there will be a huge impact on local services. “It’s extraordinary that despite these warnings the Government continue to go ahead with this reckless level of cuts, especially when the Liberal Democrats were telling us not so long ago that they would be putting extra police on the streets of South Yorkshire. “I’m really pleased that we have been able to reinstate some of the Council funded PCSOs that were cut by the Sheffield Liberal Democrats earlier this year. We will continue in our efforts to protect Sheffield’s communities from the Government’s cuts.”
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Choudhry’s
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Sale starts From 1st July 2011
@ KARACHI STORES Specialist in Bridal Wear
614 -618 Attercliffe Road Sheffield S9 3QS Tel: 0114 2444458
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SHOAIB ABBAS
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£8 Million Food
£1500 £2500
Dr Masoud Ahmad Raza: 07809399163
Dontion Hotline : 0207 0847199 www.ilmnews.com
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